The in basket: Dan Calnan says, “So, the latest roundabout head
scratcher is the increasing number of people already in a
roundabout circle, coming to a full stop and waving in others just
approaching from another access.

“I see this most often at the Newberry Hill (roundabout),
perhaps because it is relatively new, usually during busy hours. In
my opinion, this really slows down the whole operation due to
requiring a full stop with subsequent acceleration. I have almost
rear-ended such vehicles never dreaming I would encounter this
action.

“Funny, I never see people on a freeway come to a full stop and
wave on a yield/merger from an on-ramp, just the opposite.

“Not quite as annoying but more common is folks approaching a
roundabout and coming to a full stop every time no matter what,
before proceeding to merge in. Really backs thing up having to come
to a full dead stop behind them. Question, is this illegal or just
plain bad driving?”

The out basket: I’m guessing Dan is asking about stopping in a
roundabout to let someone enter, not stopping for no reason at one
of the entrances. That’s legal, as at any yield point, but stopping
when already in a roundabout to let another driver enter is not. If
you get rear-ended trying to be courteous (or extra careful) in
such a fashion, you’ll likely join the driver that hit you from
behind in getting ticketed. Of course, stopping in a roundabout
when you or traffic ahead in your lane is yielding to a pedestrian
in a crosswalk is not only legal, but required.

Stopping in a road or street anywhere to let another car enter
that street is illegal under RCW 46.61.570(1), and roundabouts get
special attention in a state Department of Transportation web site
on “How to drive a roundabout,” saying bluntly “Do not stop in a
roundabout.”

The in basket: Jim Hazel and JoAnne Stefanac e-mailed to press
for quick action to make the intersection of Highway 3 and
Sunnyslope Road less dangerous. And Jim wondered what he’d be
commenting on if he used an e-mail address listed in a letter to
the editor in the Kitsap Sun recently in connection with that
intersection.

“You’ve addressed this before,” JoAnne wrote, “but we’ve had
another fatality there again recently and I was wondering if/when
they are EVER going to address this dangerous intersection with
some kind of improvement? Turning left onto the highway from
Sunnyslope Road is taking your life in your hands as the folks are
roaring up the hill to ‘get ahead’ of one another before the two
lanes merge into one at the top of the hill.

“It’s like a racetrack there most of the time. Not to
mention, dodging the cars coming from the left (from
Belfair). Poor man lost the gamble this week. How many
deaths does it take to get it fixed?

“Honestly, I’d LOVE a (signal),” she said when I asked her what
she would suggest, “but I know it’s all about the roundabouts
nowadays. Hate them and don’t think they’d do that on a
highway at any rate (Please God!). Would have to be a
light. A life-saving light.

“They have one in Gorst, one at the airport, and in
Belfair. Why not at this most dangerous intersection?
Especially considering how much the Sunnyslope and surrounding area
is growing, with more and more homes being built at McCormick
Woods. It’s not going to get any better as the building
continues.”

Jim wrote, “ I consider this to be a very dangerous intersection
which I fortunately can usually

avoid. Nonetheless, I am interested in any study or proposed
action on it. I have looked over the projects and studies on the
DOT web site but found no mention. The letter did indicate,
however, that a public comment period will expire on Dec. 16.
How do I find out

what is being commented on and what type of public information
is being south?”

The out basket: Doug Adamson of the Olympic Region of state
highways replied, “While WSDOT does not have any major projects
currently funded for this intersection, WSDOT traffic engineers
plan to have additional signage installed on State Route 3. The
signs will be installed before the intersection of Sunnyslope Road
Southwest. The yellow signs will give drivers advance notification
of the approaching intersection.

“The comments related to the intersection of SR 3 and Sunnyslope
Road Southwest have been forwarded to regional WSDOT traffic
engineers. Unlike the STIP official public comment period, there is
no deadline for residents to give us feedback on this intersection
or any intersection involving a state highway. People who would
like to reach us are able to do so via orfeedback@wsdot.wa.gov

The in basket: I noticed that what I thought was pervious
pavement, which lets rainwater drain through it, was wearing
noticeably on Madrona Drive in Parkwood in South Kitsap near the
intersection with Lund Avenue up to SK Rotary Park. There was a lot
of it used around Parkwood last year and I asked Kitsap County
officials if they see a reason for the problem there.

The out basket: Jacques Dean, county road superintendent,
replied, “We are aware of this problem. We applied a rubberized
chip seal to this roadway, not pervious pavement. Heavy traffic
volume and 90-degree turning movements appear to be the cause of
the damage. We will continue to monitor the location.”

The in basket: Martha Washington says, “The southern segment of
the current Belfair widening project seems to be mostly done, but I
hope not. Do they really plan to keep the new lane markings as
they currently are?

“Instead of a center turn lane in front of Belfair Elementary,
there are three travel lanes. one southbound lane and two
northbound. Anyone needing to make a left into the school is
still going to be making their turn from the travel lane.

“If it’s because buses can’t make the turn out of the school and
stay in their lane, why didn’t they just give that side a wider
shoulder or expand the driveway?” she asked.

The out basket: Claudia Bingham-Baker of the Olympic Region of
state highways replies, “We have not completed the final striping
yet on this project. The final configuration will stripe a
two-way left-turn lane between the school and Roessel. That
final striping will occur next year when we get into drier
weather.”

The in basket: Allen Gibbard writes, “Hoping you can help with
lawful traffic signal responses. Today while approaching an
intersection, the main traffic signal was red, but the left-turn
arrow (where I wanted to go) that had been flashing turned to solid
yellow. I interpreted that to mean I was free to turn left if
I could complete the maneuver safely.

“As I entered the intersection on the solid yellow arrow, the
arrow turned red. I accelerated a bit to clear the
intersection as fast as possible without incident.

“Here’s my question: does a blinking yellow left-turn arrow mean
proceed with caution and a solid yellow left-turn arrow mean it
will be changing to red soon so if you’re unsure if you can clear
the intersection quickly, do not enter? Like the yellow light
within the green/yellow/red cycle of a main traffic signal
light?

Guidance please!”

The out basket: My answer to Allen: A solid yellow left-turn
arrow tells the driver the light is about to turn red and if he or
she can’t make it past the white stop bar on the pavement before it
does, he’ll be committing an infraction – and possibly be
responsible for a collision. If it was green prior to going solid,
it also is the end of a protected left-turn cycle during which
oncoming traffic has a red light.

A yellow flashing left turn provides a period of permissive left
turns during which oncoming traffic does NOT have a red light and
has the right of way over the turner, who must yield.

I asked Kitsap County Public Works if that covers it and Traffic
Engineer Jeff Shea replied, “A solid yellow also terminates a
flashing yellow. It’s important to understand what a solid yellow
signal means. It doesn’t mean hurry up. You can cross the stop bar
on a yellow. If you can stop safely, you should. If not, the solid
yellow allows motorists to get through the intersection before
conflicting traffic is given a green indication.”

The in basket: George Bolton says the intersection of
Enchantment Lane and Dickey Road west of Silverdale is difficult
because of reduced visibility for those stopped on Enchantment.

“When you pull up to the stop sign here, you can’t see up Dickey
Road at Enchantment. Three years ago, someone put in a sewer or
water line and added more dirt to the berm.

“Does state law require a line of sight when you’re stopped
behind the stop sign?” he asked.

The out basket: It’s not hard to see up and down Dickey from
Enchantment unless you are overly worried about stopping only once,
at the stop sign. There are a lot of places like it where one has
to move forward past the stop sign to get a good view.

Deputy Scott Wilson of the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Department
called it a common question and cited a state law.

It says that unless a police officer, firefighter or flagger
directs otherwise, “every driver of a vehicle approaching a stop
sign shall stop at a clearly marked stop line, but if none, before
entering a marked crosswalk on the near side of the intersection
or, if none, then at the point nearest the intersecting roadway
where the driver has a view of approaching traffic on the
intersecting roadway.” It goes on to require that entering the
other street must then be done safely.

The state driver’s manual says, “Make sure you can clearly see
crossing traffic before entering an intersection. If you were
stopped and your view of a cross street is blocked, edge forward
slowly until you can see. By moving forward slowly, crossing
drivers can see the front of your vehicle before you can see them.
This gives them a chance to slow down and warn you if needed.”

Finally, Scott offers some common sense advice in a Q&A
format.

Q1. How far from the stop sign should I stop?

A1. There should be a white line painted across the road.
You have to come to a complete stop before you cross that line.
Once you have come to a complete stop, you may inch forward a
little bit in order to see whether or not it is safe for you to
proceed.

Q2. If there is a distance between stop sign and stop
line, should I stop before the stop sign or the stop line?

A2. Before the stop line. If needed, you can slowly pull
up a little and then stop again when you have a good view of
traffic in all directions.

Q3. How close should you get to the stop sign before
stopping completely?

A3. If there is a crosswalk at the intersection, you
should stop before crossing it. If there is no crosswalk, stop
short of the intersection with enough space that other cars can
safely turn in without hitting you.

Q4. Where do you stop if the stop sign is before the
white line?

A4. Stop before the white line. You should stop within two
feet of it, so the bumper does not go over the line.

The in basket: A reader whose identity in an e-mail says simply
“dirtina100” says, “We live at the south end of Bainbridge.
Can you find out what those REALLY bright lights are that are
on every night at the Harper dock (in South Kitsap)?

“We apparently have to put up with cargo ships with bright
lights and noise but what are those lights about down there?”

The out basket: Doris Small, project manager for the estuary
restoration in Harper says, “The lights could be associated with
Harper Dock, where squid fishing is taking place nightly.
However this is not new, so may not be what they are seeing.

“The Harper Estuary Restoration Project construction is underway
and some of the work is occurring at night to coincide with the low
tides. The construction work will continue through January,
although night work will be limited as much as possible.

“We’ve contacted neighbors in the area and shielded lights from
the immediate area. I didn’t realize that neighbors on
Bainbridge could see the work. I’d ask that the Bainbridge
neighbors contact Corey Morss, WDFW project engineer, at
360.902.2465 for further discussion of what they are observing.

Probably the lights are those on excavating equipment a little
bit south of the Harper Dock, where the state is having
obstructions to the Harper estuary removed.

Doris Small with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife says
some of the work is done at night if that’s when the tides are
lowest. “It’s a lot easier to work and some of the area has to be
exposed,” she said. They are removing man-made fill and putting in
habitat features.

The in basket: Tom Baker sent along a photograph of a stop sign
at Anderson Hill and Old Clifton roads in South Kitsap to which
someone had added the letters “SPEEDING” beneath the word stop. “Is
this an allowed modification or have the county sign techs not
noticed it?” Tom asked.

The out basket: Following Tom’s lead, I asked county public
works about it, and got the following answer from Doug Bear, their
spokesman.

“The stop sign at that location is maintained by the city of
Port Orchard,” Doug said. “Our sign technicians called to let the
know and they will remove the “speeding” legend.

“Altering traffic control devices (signs) is illegal,” he added.
“RCW 46.61.080 states ‘No person shall, without lawful authority,
attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down or remove
any official traffic-control device or any railroad sign or signal
or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any other part
thereof.’”

The in basket: Phil Crane, who says he drives a
van pool, writes, “For the last few months I’ve noticed some
changes in the road leading to the overpass toward Gorst.

“Just past the motorcycle dealer, HOV lane…the road is sagging
in a few spots…one spot has about a six inches depth in the
middle…the depressed area being about five feet in diameter.
The other two noticeable areas are only bumps, as yet…

“I’m wondering…will it take a full sink hole to develop before
something is done out there.??”

The out basket: I have to say I had not noticed it before
leaving the county for a time, but asked Claudia Bingham-Baker,
spokeswoman for the Olympic Region of state highways, if they
had.

She replied, “Our maintenance crews took a look at that roadway
section and didn’t see anything particularly unusual. Closer to the
area where the SR 16/SR 166/Anderson Hill Road fish culvert project
was built, in the eastbound direction there are a couple of low
spots and a bump coming off the newly-paved area. We have
asked the contractor to repair that section of roadway, (but) it’s
likely it won’t occur until warmer, drier weather next spring.”

The in basket: Larry Blain writes, “A few days ago I was once
again behind a vehicle with a bike rack completely obscuring the
rear license plate. This set me thinking.

“Whether that is legal or not (I suspect not), what is the
percentage of the vehicles crossing the Narrows Bridge that the
automated license reading equipment are unable to identify? I
can see this happening from hidden license plates such as I
observed, paper license plates on darkly tinted windows on newly
licensed vehicles, and out-of-state vehicles.

“Since the same problem also would apply to tolled HOV lanes and
the SR-520 Bridge, the amount of lost revenue probably is
significant.

“Is any effort made to identify vehicles with unrecognizable
license plates that are repeatedly observed by the cameras?

“I hope the state DOT has some statistics on this.”

The in basket: The state’s toll division answers, “The toll
equipment photographs the front and rear license plates, so if the
rear one is obscured, we can still read the front one. Per state
law, front plates are required for all vehicles issued a front
plate.

“Our toll equipment takes photos only of the area of the vehicle
around the license plate, because it is illegal to photograph the
inside of vehicles.

“We have agreements with the other states that they will provide
us the vehicle owner’s registered address so we can send a bill to
that address.

“If the license plate recognition software is unable to
automatically read the license plate, then the plates will be
manually reviewed by customer service. Unreadable license plates
account for only about 1.5 percent of the total trips on our toll
facilities.”